St. Petersburg authorities are planning to reduce the number of non-stationary trading locations due to minimal tax contributions to the city budget. Vice Governor Alexey Korabelnikov announced this initiative, characterizing kiosks as outdated and economically insignificant.

The city government’s analysis revealed that these businesses contribute very little in taxes compared to their revenue. Korabelnikov pointed out the disparity between the revenue of some restaurants and the small number of officially employed staff, despite their considerable size. He also mentioned discrepancies between rental rates and market value.

The Committee for City Property Management is addressing these issues during contract renewals, aiming to align rental rates with current market prices. Furthermore, the city is targeting “non-standard NTOs” – shopping centers that emerged in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. These establishments will be required to meet updated standards upon contract expiration, or face removal.

Removed territories will be repurposed for landscaping. St. Petersburg initiated revisions to federal law to standardize regulations for kiosks on both private and public land.

In early 2025, St. Petersburg conducted a significant revision of non-stationary trade object placements, eliminating approximately 2,000 objects. Nevsky Prospekt underwent a cleanup that removed not only stalls and carts but also summer restaurant verandas. The Committee for Property Control recently began demolishing the “Maxi Sopot” shopping center near the “Primorskaya” metro station, but the demolition was halted due to court-ordered interim measures.